Steering mechanism for vehicles



July'l8, 1950 E. H. REMDE 2,516,074

STEERING MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES Filed Aug. '5, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet i I INVENTOR. E AR H. REMDE' July 18, 1950 E. H. REMDE 2,515,074

STEERING MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES Filed Aug. 5, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 v INVENTOR. F\C3. 6 EDWARD H. REMDE ATTORAEY E. H. REMDE STEERING MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES July 18, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 5, 1947 INVENTOR. EDWARD H. REMDE FIG. 10'

ATTOPWY Patented July 18, 1950 STEERING MECHANISM FOR vEHIoLEs a corporation of- Ohio Edward Bemde, Cleveland, Ohio, .assi gn or, to

The Baker Raulang Company, Cleveland, Ohio,

. Application August 5, 1947, Serial No. 766,389

7 Claims. (01. 230-95) ,This invention .relates to vehicles having dirigible steering wheels, more particularly to the steering gear mechanism therefor. The invention "is particularly. applicable to motor driven vehicles. M

In all vehicles employing a pair ofsteerable dirigible wheels, of. which I have knowledge, steering of thevehiclealong curvilinear paths has caused slippagebetweenthe treads of the tires and the pavement or road indirections at angles to theplane of each wheel, the effect of which has been, to cause wear on the tire treads, stresseson the wheel mountingsas well as wear of the pavement or road due to the fact that when the dirigible wheels are operated about their respective trunni'ons or steering knuckles, they as well as the other supporting wheels forthe vehicle donot traverse paths concentric to a common center, and obviously such wear is increased in proportion to the weight of the vehicle and. its load. Also, greater wear takes place on the tires of vehicles having shortened wheel bases and/or narrowed treads as compared tov tires on vehicles having .long bases and/or wide treads.

One object of the inventionis to provide an improved steering mechanism for a wheel mounted vehicle wherein wear on the wheel tires due to slippage thereof in steering the vehicle is eliminated.

Anotherobject of the invention is to provide wheels, improved connections between the latter wheels for swinging themabout their respective knuckles into difierentangular relation, whereby the dirigible wheels and non-dirigible wheels traverse paths .about a common center during turning movementsof the vehicle. .7 I

fjAnother object of the invention isto provide in a vehicle or. truck having a pair of dirigible supporting wheels, an improved compensating or differential mechanism connected to and. operable to swing the dirigible wheels into diiferent angular positions relative to their normal axes for steering the vehicle or truck, whereby in each steering position these wheels traverse paths about a common center.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a vehicle having a pair of dirigible supporting wheels at one end of the vehicle, and a nondirigible supportingwheel or wheels at the .opposite end thereof, improved connections between the dirigible supporting wheels and related to the axis of the .non-dirigible supporting wheel or wheels, operable to swing the ,dirigible wheels into variousv steering. positions, whereby all of the supporting wheels, in each steering position traverse paths abouta common center. I A further object of the invention is to c nstruct a vehicle having a pair of dirigible steering wheelsand an improved steering mechanism. of simplified construction for the wheels adapted to position them in any steering position to traverse curvilinear paths about a commoneenter. .Other objects of the invention will be apparent to.those skilled in the art to which my invention relates from the following description takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein v Fig. 1. is aside elevation of a vehicle embodying my invention, parts being broken away and partly in section on the line |-I of Fig. 2. g

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

,Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view .showing different steering positions of the dirigible wheels and the respective centers about which the wheels traverse in steering the vehicle. s f.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of parts shownin Fig. 2, enlarged.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing 3 the wheels in one steering position, parts being qken y. U Fig. 6 is a view looking upwardly in Fig l, partly in'section on the line 66 of said view, enlarged. I t Fig. '7 isa fragmentar section on the, line l-l of Fig. 2, enlarged. t t i Figs. 8 and 9 are sections on the lines 8 8 9-4, respectively, of Fig. '7. Fig. 10 is a section on the line In ill of Fig. 11. t

Fig. llisa section on the line I l-l I of Fig. ,10. .Fig. 12tis a section on'the line l2-2 of Fig. 7. 'In the drawings, I indicates as an entirety}. vehicle embodying a steering gear mechanism as hereinafter set forth. The vehicle I shown for illustrative purposes is of the industrial type having a pair of power driven wheels 2, dirigible steering wheels 3 and a suitable elevating mech anism 4. In'the arrangement shown the wheels 2, adjacent the elevating mechanism arenonwheels 3 may be referred to as the rear wheels. I

It is to be observed that in industrial trucks it is the practice to provide dirigible steering wheels at either end of the truck irrespective of whether it embodies an elevating mechanism and also to position the drivers station remotely from the elevating mechanism or what may be termed the front end of the truck. Since the improved steering gear herein disclosed is applicable to all wheel mounted vehicles and vehicles havin front or rear steerable wheels, such disclosure is merely illustrative ofthe preferred application of the invention.

The wheels 3 aremounted on suitable spindles 3d, having knuckles pivoted on pins 6 mounted 'in the opposite ends of the axle l and integrally connected steering arms 8 preferably extending rearwardly relative to the axle 1 and laterally atright angles to the spindles 3a. The upper end portion of each pin 6 is secured by a set screw Bato the axle to prevent turning thereof, where as its lower end is reduced and threaded to take nuts 6b, which through a washer engage the lower end of the adjacent spindle knuckle to connect the latter to the axle. The'axlefl may be connected to the vehicle frame Ia rigidly or by springs in any well known manner, but the connection herein shown consists of a pair of spring members la each pivotally mounted at its outer endon a pin lb, which, is supported in ,a bracket 'lcsuitably. fixedto the adjacent endbar of the frame la. The spring members 1a extend inwardly, their inner end portions being endwise slidablysupported on the bottom walls of cradles id.- to permitflexing of the members. The side walls of each cradle support a shaft le for a roller In: which engages the adjacent spring member and maintains it in slidable engagement with the bottom wall of the adjacent cradle. Intermediate their pivotal connections through the bracket with the frame la and support in the cradles ld the spring members la are, rigidly connected to the axle 1 by bolts 1 .A spacerflg is preferably disposed between the spring members 1a. and axle I. v

9 indicates as an entirety a difierential or come pensating mechanism connected to the arms 8 and arranged, upon operation of a-steering wheel If! during vehicle travel, simultaneously .to swing the wheels 3 from normal position (thatis, that .7

position in which the vehicle may be driven in a rectilinear direction) in either direction into different angular positions, whereby the wheels 3 traverse arcuate paths about a common center, which center in any operated position of the wheels is intersected by an imaginary line or extending parallel to the normal axis of the wheels 3, shown at b (Fig. 3). By preference, the mechanism 9 is related to the axis of the wheels 2, as later set forth, that is, the imaginary line a. is co-incident. with the axis about which the wheels 2 rotate. Accordingly, in any turning movement of the vehicle, due to operation of the wheel Hi, all four wheels .2, 3, will traverse paths about a common center.

While the range of swinging movement of the wheels 3 about their respective pins 6 relative to centers on the axis a (see Fig. 3) may vary, as it is customary in maneuvering turns to decrease or increase the vehicle turning radius and in bringing the vehicle into a forward or backward straight direction of travel, such variations in the steering operation will obviously move the common center for the wheels 2, 3, along the imaginary axis a, in one direction or the other, dependent on the direction of swinging movement of the wheels 3 and their angular relation to the axis b, so that during any right or left turning movement of the vehicle on a radius or varying radii, the wheels 2, 3, will always traverse paths about a common center or centers which lie in the axis a.

The differential mechanism 9 comprises the following: ll indicates a support, the inner end portion of which is rigidly connected by a transverse, vertically disposed wall I la to the rear side edge offthe axle 1, the wall Ha being welded along its upper and lower edges to the axle l and support II. The opposite end portion of the support II is connected to the axle by a bolt ilb, threaded into an opening formed in the axle 1, the head of the bolt having engagement with the lower face of the support 'I I. The opposite sides of the support II are preferably provided with lateral extensions Ha: disposed between the axle and wheel knuckles (see Fig. 6) and formed with openings through which the pins G extend, whereby the knuckles and the wall lla serve to support the support ll below the axle 1 in a planeabove that in which the arms 8 swing when the latter are operated to steer the vehicle. The bolt llb is surrounded by a bushing He, the opposite ends ofwhichengage the bolt head and axle 1. In this'arrangement'the bolt Ilb also serves as a shaft for an operating member I2, which, for reasons later apparent, consists of a disk and is rotated in either dire tion in the manner later set forth.

I3 indicates a continuous guide of substantially V-shape formed in the support H, the legs I 3a, I 3b, of the guide forming guide ways preferably extending rectilineally from the apex c ,of theguide and connected at their inner ends, inwardly of the apex c, by a curvilinear portion He in which a connector l4 (later referred to) is normally positioned, when the wheels 3 are in normal position, for movement endwiseof either guide way dependent on the curvilinear direction in which the vehicle is to be steered. It will be observed that the angular relation of the guide ways l3a, [3b, is generated from centers on an imaginary axis which, is co-incident, with the imaginary axis a for the wheel or wheels at that end of the frame remote from the steerable wheels, and such relation will vary dependent on the wheel base of the vehicle and the treads of the front and rear wheels thereof. The vehicle shown in the present disclosure has a wheel base of 36 inches, the tread of the wheels 2 is 26 inches and the tread of the Wheels 3 is 22 inches; in this arrangement, the guide ways l3a, [3b, are disposed at a degree angle, generated from centers on the imaginary axis a (two centers x, 2, being shown in Fig. 3), at either side of the longitudinal axis a of the frame la. Fig. 3 shows the wheels 3 in position, indicated by lines d-d-, to effect traverse thereof and the wheels 2 on paths about the center x, to steer vehicle to the right, and lines ee indicate the position of the wheels 3 when positioned for steering ,to the right 5 about the'center 2; lines ,f-"r-f, g-- gand hh indicate other steeringpositions forthe wheels 3 for traverse thereof and wheels? about centerson p l r l5; l5aindicate-li ks connected at-their outer ends to the arms 8, the inner-ends of-the linl s being pivotally- --connected together by* the con nector l4. Bypreference the linksi5; I-Ea'areof equal length,--in which arrangementthe apex c is'disposed midway the wheels3-and as the arms 8 extend inwardly? relative to theaxle l the guide ways 13a; 13b;- extend 'in the opposite direction relative'totheapexo ns shown-in Figs. 7, 8 and 9,-the' connector 14 consists of the following: Ma indicates-a boltextending through the guide it, the lower portion of the bolt being reduced and extending through alined openings formed in the inner-ends of the links !5-,-l5a, and provided on its lower endwith nuts Mbwhich-cooperate with the arms 8 to support the'links: Intermediate its ends the boltl-4a is provided' with an anti frietion-bearing Me; the inner race of which'has'a pressed on engagement with the bolt Ida, whereas-theouter'raceof thebearinghas rolling en gagementwith sidewalls of the guide i3. Above and below the bearing I40, the bolt Ida is pro vided -with annular elements 1 6, 1 6a, which loosely engage thebolt,- and slidably engage the opposite faces of the support H during movement of the connector-l-4 through the guide. The lower element 16aisinterposed' between-the support I l and theend portion-of one of the links I5; 45d whereas the upper element i6 is interposedbetween the-support H and an anti-friction-ball bearing H seatedagainst--the hea'd of the bolt Mail" In this arrangement, the annularelements I l I to; serve -to maintain the bearing Mc*in the' plane of thesupport H during movement of the conneotor- M- in and through the guide l3. i8, 18, indicate a-pair of spacedparallel-plates disposed at opposite sides of aradius of--the bolt lib and fixed to and dependingfrom; the-operating memher 2- remote-from -the bolt. By preference, the plates I 8-,- I 8, are-disposedadj acent' the periphery of I theoperating member [2- and: provided with extensions 18a, which are "cut away to clear the adjacent element of the connections; indicatecl as an entirety -at l9, between the Wheel l and operating member l2. As shown in Figs. 8, Q-and 1D, the bearing l? is disposedbetween the plates l8,'the outer-race of--the bearinghaving rolling engagement therewith; -Inthis arrangement, the bearing l'l-and plates l8, 48, provide an error atingconnection between the connector M, and operating member [2, so-that when the latter is rotated-in either direotionrany desired distance to effect steering of; the vehicle-the connector I 4 is 'movedendwise through one-ofthe guide Ways I3a,--I3b; and-theqconnector M in turn, through the links i; I-5a, simultaneously swings the wheels 3 into different'angularrelation for steering; for example; if the vehicle is to be steered to the right, the operating member I2 is rotated counterclockwise, as viewed in--Figs; 4 and 5,-whereby the plates l8, [8, through the bearing l1 move the bolt Ma through the guide way Ito. and thus, through a thrust movement on the link l5 and a pull on the link l5a, effect a (lif ferential swinging movement of the wheels 3; Fig.- 5 shows theconnector-l l moved to theouter endoi-the guide way I311 and the wheels tswung to their extreme steeringposition; whereby these wheels and'the wheels 2 traverse paths about-the center at, but it will be obvious that the connector l4 may be moved from its normal position in the guide portion by theoperating member l2 varying distances in either guide way to position the wheels 3 in different angular relation for steering the vehicle about various centers 7 on the imaginary axis a; dependent upon the required steeringconditions.- y

Thewheel Hiis fixedto the upper end ofa shaft [0a. Any suitableformof connections l9 may be provided between the shaft la and the operating member I2 to oscillate or rotate the latter as already set forth, dependent upon the construction of the vehicle and its equipment, as well as the location'of' the drivers position. In the form of vehicle construction shown, the operating connections consist of the following: Ma indicates a shaft suitably connected to the lower end of the shaft Illa-and mounted in a suitable bearing in a wall I91), which is fixed to the frame la. The lower end of the shaft [9a isv provided with a pinion lilo in mesh with .a gear fixed to a separate shaft 2ila, which is mounted in a suitable bearingprovided in the Wall 99b. Below the gear 20, the shaft Ella is provided with a sprocket 2011, which is engaged by an endless chain 2 iv The chain 2! extends around the operating member 12 and is preferably connected to the latter diametrically of the plates l3, iii. The connection between the chain 2| and operating member I2 preferably consistswof a pair of inwardl extending lugs Zia integral with the side walls of one chainlink'and a pin 2 Eb extend-w ing through alined openings formed in the operatii'ig member l2" and lugs 2|a.- 'As shown in Fig. 1, the sprocket Ziib is disposed in the plane of the operating member l2 andbetween the latter and the sprocket Zllb theruns of the chain 2! engage with and are supported by idler sprockets 22. a

To those skilled in the 'art to which my invention relates many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the'invention. My disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting- What I claim is: i

1. In a vehicle comprising a-frame', front and rear supporting wheels for said frame, spindles for the wheels at one'end of said framemount ed to swing on substantially verticaraxes and having laterally extending arms, and mechanism for swinging said swingable wheels in either direction from normal position into different an gular relation for traverse about a common cen-. ter to effect steering of the vehicle, said mechanism consisting of a support having substantially fixed relation to said frame and formed with diverging guide ways connected at their inner ends, a pair of links pivotallyconnected at their outer ends to the outer ends of said'arms, a'conneotor pivotally connectingthe inner ends ofsaid links together and disposed in the inner connected ends of said" guide ways when said swingable wheels are in normalposition and n'lOV-r able endwise of either guide way to effect swinging of said swingablewheels, an operating member rotatably mounted on said support on'an axis within-and" in symmetrical'relation to said guide ways and operativel'y connected-to said connector for moving it endwis'e or" said guide ways, amov able clevice'on' said frameyand-operating con nections between said device and-said operating member for rotating the latterfi l h 3 2. In a vehicle comprising air-rams, front and rear supporting wheels for said frame, spindles for the wheels at one end of said frame mounted to swing on, substantially vertical axes and having laterally extending arms, and mechanism for swinging said swingable wheels in either direction from normal position into diiferent angular relation for traverse about a common center to' effect steering of the vehicle, said mechanism consisting 'of a support having substantially fixed relation to said frame and disposed ina plane parallel to that in which said arms swing and formed with diverging guide Ways connected together at their inner ends, a pair of links pivotally connected at their outer ends to said arms, a connector pivotally connected at one end to the inner'ends of said links and extending through and disposed in the inner connected ends of said guide ways when said swingable wheels are in normal position, an operating member rotatably mounted on said support and disposed in a plane parallel to and on the opposite side of said support from the plane of movement of said arms and operatively connected to the opposite end o f'said connector for moving it endwise of either guide way to swing said swingable wheels into steering position, a movable device on said frame, and operating connections between said device and said operating member for rotating the latter. 3 A vehicle as claimed in claim 2 wherein said rotatable member is provided with a pair of spaced plates disposed parallel to a radius of said member and having slidable pivotal connection with the said opposite end of said connector.

4. In a vehicle comprising a frame, front and rear supporting wheels for said frame, spindles for the wheels at one end of said frame mounted to swing substantially on vertical axes and having laterally extending arms, and mechanism for swinging said swingable wheels in either direction from normal position into different angular relation for traverse about a common center to effect steering of the vehicle, said mechanism consisting of a support between said swingable wheels and having substantially fixed relation to said frame and formed with a continuous V-shape guide way the legs of which are disposed at an angle of substantially 90 degrees, a pair of links pivotally connected at their outer ends to said arms, a' connector pivotally connecting the inner ends of said links together and disposed in the apex portion of said v-shape guide way when said swingable wheels are in normal position, an operating member rotatably mounted on said support and operatively connected to said connector for moving it endwise of either leg of said V-shape guide way to swing said swingable wheels into steering position, a movable device on said'frame, and operating connections between said device and said operating member for rotating the latter.

5. In a vehicle comprising a, frame, front and rear axles thereon, supporting wheels on said axles, one of saidaxle consisting of spindles mounted to swing on said frame on substantially vertical axes and having laterally extending arms, and mechanism for swinging said swingable wheels in either direction from normal position into different angular relation for traverse about a common center to effect steering of the vehicle, said mechanism consisting of a support fixed to said frame, a pair of links pivotally connected at their outer ends to said arms, a connector pivotally connecting the inner ends of said links together, a pair of guides on said support for said connector, 2. member rotatably mounted on said support and provided with spaced plates arranged to lidably and pivotally engage said connector for moving it along either of said guides, contiguous portions of each of said guides being generated on centers common to an imaginary line coincident with the axis of the other axle, whereby the movement of said connector, when moved to any position relative to either of said guides, swings said swingable wheels into different angular relation for traverse on paths concentric to the center related to the position of said connector, a movable device on said frame, and operating connections between said device and said member for rotating the latter.

6. In a vehicle comprising a frame, front and rear axles on said frame, a pair of wheels on one of said axles, spindles for another pair of wheels on the other axle, each spindle being provided with a laterally extending arm, each end of the other axle and the adjacent wheel spindle being provided with pivotally connected knuckles, whereby the pair of wheels on said other axle are swingably mounted, and mechanism for swinging said swingable wheels in either direction from normal position into different angular relation for traverse about a common center to effect steering of the vehicle, said mechanism consist ing of a support the opposite end portions of which are disposed between and supported by said pivotally connected knuckles, a link pivotally connected at its outer end to each of said arms, a connector pivotally connecting the inner ends of said links together, a pair of guides on said support for said connector, a vertically disposed shaft mounted on said supportmidway between the axes on which aid swingable wheels swing, a disk rotatably mounted on said shaft and provided on its marginal portion with elements arranged to engage and move said connector along either of said guides, contiguous portions of each of said guides being generated on centers common to an imaginary line parallel to a vertical plane intersecting the axes on whichsaid swingable wheels swing, whereby the movement of said connector, when moved to' any position relative to either of said guides, swings said swingable wheels into different angular relation for traverse on paths concentric to the center related to the position of said connector, a movable device on said frame, and operating connections between said device and said disk for rotating the latter.

'7. In a vehicle comprising a frame, a pair of supporting wheels at each end of said frame, one of said pairs of wheels being mounted to swing on substantially vertical axes, and mechanism for swinging said swingable wheels in either direction from normal position into different angular relation for traverse about a' common center to effect steering of the vehicle, said mechanism consisting of a horizontally disposed support having a substantially fixed relation to said frame and formed with a slot having diverging guide ways connected at their inner ends, a pair of links operatively connected at their outer ends to said swingable wheels, a vertically disposed connector the lower end of which extends through the inner ends of said links for pivotally connecting them together, said connector extending upwardly through said slot and movable horizontally in said guide ways, a pair of annular members on said connector and having sliding engagement with the upper and lower surfaces of said support during movement of said can'- nector in said guide ways, a member rotatably mounted on said support and provided with devices having engagement with the upper end of UNITED STATES PATENTS said connector, a movable device on said frame, N and operating connections between said device ffi g fi'g Nov 2 and said member for rotating the latter.

EDWARD H. REMDE. 5 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date REFERENCES CITED 341,053 France May 30, 1904 The following references are of record in the 351,307 Germany Apr. 5, 1922 file of this patent: 

